I often get asked by other consultants and small business operators what I find to be the most difficult hurdles in my business. There are many, just as there are in the corporate world. They are just different and need to be managed efficiently and with mindfulness.

Here are some that I encounter regularly:

Apportioning the right time for each client

This is a hard one and obviously has a lot to do with the amount of investment by the individual client. Being rigid with days and hours just doesn’t seem to work in PR and communications, as you get interruptions all the time and a “sorry, it’s not my day for that client” response somehow doesn’t cut it. I tend to keep a rough idea of the hours I work on each client per day and go from there. Have an agenda for the day to concentrate mainly on one or two clients.

The key is to manage client expectations realistically. If they are only paying for essentially one day a week, they need to understand what results they may hope for. Your clients will appreciate you far more if you are honest with them.

Outsourcing Services

When engaging with suppliers such as media monitoring, media databases etc you need to be very specific about your requirements. Often you will find there’s a special rate for consultants, and you do not require the magnitude of service they provide. Often you can register for a trial period and then work out if it is going to be of use. Monitoring and access to media lists can be very costly and is unnecessary if you have a solid contact base. LinkedIn is a fabulous source for creating contact lists, as are the social media platforms.

Keeping up with trends

Many larger clients have a need to be with a large or international agency as they feel this might provide them with deeper insights into this profession. However, there are many clients who are unable to afford those rates of larger agencies and look to their PR consultant to keep them up to date on news and media. Since the world of communications changes constantly, you will need to be reading as much as you can fit in. Subscribe to MUmBRELLA, social media and marketing experts (millions on the www) and regularly check for staff changes.

Don’t forget to monitor the client competition as much as possible too, as this will often steer you into new creative territory.

Being always ‘on’

A big problem amongst consultants, as we never stop working. I have read the blogs, listened to the podcasts and am an avid admirer of Arianna Huffington - a strong advocate of healthy work-life balance. But in my opinion, this is one of the greatest challenges. A regular routine is recommended, around some healthy daily habits such as walking first thing (get a dog!) or a daily exercise class. Also, switching off at night and participating in something totally unrelated to work is another good habit to adopt.

Cash flow

As with all small business, the ups and downs in revenue flow are endemic to consultancy work. You will need to be resilient, be able to take the knocks and always maintain a deep sense of self belief for the tough times. Change is inevitable, and the wheels will turn. It’s a good idea to keep an emergency account to draw upon, if you can.

How do you stay motivated?

So - you’ve been pitching for hours with little or no response. It’s monotonous and unrewarding, and trying to retain a fresh focus can present a challenge. Try switching gear. Go write a content piece or a blog. Do some constructive research, talk a walk or make a cup of coffee.

If you find your creative juices are drying up, go out into the world and look around you; something will spark off a new idea. I guarantee it! I have dreamt up some of my most creative pitches while chatting to my local barista. Customer service (both good and bad) is a great source of inspiration for PR!

The gift of giving is one of the most powerful tools in the world of PR and often 'brands' a PR Manager as much as the products are labeled themselves.

So, what does a PR Manager give her nearest and dearest for Christmas?

At this busy time of year, it’s tempting to simply race around the mall, flying in and out of shops in the desperate hope of ticking off last minute gift lists.

Not only can this be time-consuming and stressful (what on earth does Uncle Bob want?) but rather costly too, as we dig deep into our wallets, to meet yet another deadline.

With a little thought though, here are some ideas and tips for gifts that can be designed with your own unique stamp on them and within your own budget.

Gift an experience

No! I'm not suggesting you go web-surfing for an exxy ride in a chopper. Think more along the lines of design your own - organising and then taking someone on a beautiful picnic, or surprise a friend with a mystery walk or bike ride. If you are known for your style or taste, maybe you can offer some input into helping to decorate their house, or revamp their wardrobe?

Handmade is gold

When I was a child I used to ask my mother, “what can I buy you for Christmas?” she would invariably reply with “Just a card made by you”. I’m sure this resonates with many of you, although sadly most of us have lost this personal dimension. Life takes over, time is precious and it’s all too easy just to hop online and click add to cart. Think how delighted your friend will be to receive a home-designed miniature succulent garden or a home-baked Christmas cake?

The gift that gives

Probably the kindest thing you could do this season is to help others. Whether it’s handing out meals to the homeless or volunteering at the local animal pound, it’s a proven fact that you and the world around you will feel better for it. By helping out at one of the many charities, not only will you be giving back to many more than your original gift list, but you could even invite a friend to help with you, which in itself could become part of another gift.

Think outside the square this holiday season, go back to the true meaning of Christmas and allow your creative juices to flourish. With a little thought, you can create an unforgettable gift for even the toughest customer. Package it well, brand it with your style, and stand out from the crowd.

Suicide rates are higher than ever and mental health has become the number one health issue in Australia now, ahead of obesity. And that is really saying something, isn't it? When you consider two in three of us is either overweight or obese!

According to the Black Dog Institute one in five (20%) Australians aged 16-85 experience a mental illness in any year and on any given day, 6 Australians will commit suicide. Sobering facts when you consider the wealth and lifestyle that has become the signature of our nation.

The most common mental health problem is Anxiety, with a capital A. I don't know about you, but when I was a kid there was no such thing as Anxiety Disorder and sadly, it is the younger people who are suffering most. It's hardly surprising when you consider the numerous culprits that all feed into one big nerve-quaking mess of a generation: Social anxiety fuelled by social media, political anxiety, work insecurity, the costs of living spiralling against the fact that we are working for less and even for free, in so many cases. You just have to look around the web to find just about anything you care to want to learn, just to discover that it's on offer for free. The very fact that so much is available; the overload of choices, the infinite knowledge, talks, podcasts, reports and information well, sends most of us into a continuous state of anxious overwhelm.

It's no wonder we have a host of health and wellness companies bound for our rescue, and I'm proud to say I am representing some of them. The 2017 wellness stage is set with businesses designed to reinstate calm, balance and wellbeing into our lives. Where a trip to the doctor once used to be a one-stop-fix-it cure, we are now challenging the boundaries of treatment, seeking out alternatives, holistic rituals, ancient medicine and natural therapies.

During the past 5-10 years, meditation has stolen centre stage as a global movement as has it's close partner, Yoga. It is so heartening to see progressive workplaces providing options with the intention of motivating staff as well as keeping them healthy, while gyms are heaving after work and the supermarket aisles are being ever more scrutinised. You could say we are at the beginning of a wellness revolution, where we are measuring status by the condition of our health, both mental and physical, rather than the car we drive or the handbags we carry.

Remember, beauty and health are the same, both feed into each other. Beauty cannot exist without good health first.

Have you noticed that whenever you turn your TV on there’s an Aussie athlete there? Anyone would think Australia is the number 1 nation dominating the entire event, thanks to the highly skewed coverage we are being delivered from Chanel 7.

There’s nothing wrong with this of course, since here we are in Australia and very proud of our country - and especially keen to cheer our fabulous athletes and teams on.

What this teaches us though in communications-land, is that we are 100% lead and influenced by the media that is fed to us. Sure we have choices, but if there’s one major source, as we have here with the Olympics, we are invariably at the mercy of their offerings.

Understanding your audience or the people you are trying to win over becomes key to any marketing efforts. Sadly, there are way too many brands out there with amazing products destined to a mystery user because the owner or manager hasn’t really researched his consumer.

Facebook has incredible tools that allow you to drill down on your target market right to where it matters. You can direct ads to people in a particular suburb, who eat a certain food and share the same religion if necessary. And that’s just Facebook.

Finding the core market of any campaign is where the results will eventuate, either via digital conversions or customers asking for your product in store. Gone are the days where companies had to place ads randomly and hope they resonated with someone who shared the same tastes and value system.

So there’s no excuse. PR activity, marketing materials, content marketing and so on, can be more effective than ever before. The talent lies in realising it’s a wasted effort, unless it reaches precisely the people it’s intended for. This is how and where a campaign succeeds.

Back to Rio and would you believe it - I’m watching the Beach Volleyball :)

​Why all the fuss? Don’t we get enough in our inboxes everyday? As it is, we are bombarded with news, articles, information, podcasts, videos and social media posts – there’s no way we can ever open, let alone read, digest and act upon.

But we are told there’s a need for content marketing, advised that it’s an important part of the overall marketing mix, and we cannot afford to ignore it anymore.

So, in a nutshell. The reasons why to implement content marketing into your plan.

SEO and organic search – Google picks up on relevant content and rewards you with organic search results. The more you post relevant to your brand, the more your brand shows up in search results.

Cross linking with other audiences – from website to twitter, you can reach multiple media platforms with just a few clicks.

Increasing your voice in the market – interesting content gets shared. It’s the viral thing we are all after.

Stay competitive – to carve out a slice in a cluttered market, content marketing allows you to develop your own voice of authority and targeted niche.

To succeed with content marketing, firstly you will need to create a strategy. Consider brand voice or tone, where to promote your content and which audience you are talking to. These are crucial to your campaign and should determine your strategy.

I suggest a creative session with the people you know and trust, who work with your brand, to come up with the essential elements of your strategy. This has worked best in my past experience.

There’s a lot of information out there on content marketing but it can be quite over-whelming if you don’t have the time or energy to allocate. Trends are ever-changing with cut-through getting even harder. Video content is king right now and it’s worth specialising in your given topic in an interactive way if possible.

We all know that the world of public relations and marketing changes by the day with the substance of influence, almost just as fickle.

Here’s what I’ve found most recently to get results, if you are looking to gain some media attention.

Slip into their shoes. Try imaging you’re trading places (remember that movie?) with that editor and get a feel for what might make their workload lighter. Is it fresh content they want? Is it an exciting headline, or maybe a reference tool? It will of course depend on the publication and the product or service you are selling, but there is absolutely no point in doling out worthless information that does not relate to their audience. It might seem obvious, but still happens every day!

A word on press releases. They still do have a place and are more than ever, a crucial introduction to your piece. Ensure that you tell your story in the first paragraph. People no longer read. No one has the time to sift through passages of beautifully written text. Just give it to them up-font. This is sometime a hurdle with the client, as they often like to keep their ‘promise’ secret. That strategy is very last century!

Quality over quantity. Avoid the scattergun approach with a generalised cover email and forwarding the release to anyone covering your chosen beat. Copy + paste relevant information and personalise your message, paying attention to the format and font. I cannot emphasise this enough. How many times have you been sent a pitch of some sort that has been pasted together from different sources? How did that make you feel?

Follow these guidelines and you’re well on the way to cutting through a busy inbox. Just copy and paste onto a sticky and keep on your desktop:

If you are struggling with the frustrations this crazy, challenging weather has been throwing up at us lately, consider the following. A lot can be accomplished without the need to rush around from meeting to meeting, not to mention getting drenched in the process. How lucky are we to have access to the world in the comfort of our homes or offices? Power permitting, of course!

DO

Rethink your target end user. Who really is buying or wants to buy your product? So often we filter this knowledge with our own value system, so maybe it’s a good time to look at your customer with fresh, objective eyes.

Follow up all leads and outstanding messages. Let no prospect remain unanswered.

Clear the inbox, get rid of flagged items, file important messages and empty the trash. You will feel so much better after a good clean out.

PR has certainly been given a fluffy name over the past 30 years from Eddie Monsoon of Ab Fab to Samantha in Sex And The City. If only it were that easy or fun!

I just found this article from PR Dailywhich de-mystifies the industry entirely. Times have changed since the '80's and I cannot put it in much easier, succinct terms, so have a read and finally understand how we can help your business, in a professional, serious and effective manner.

No expensive or lavish parties, No celebs, No Moet or air kissing required!!

I just was listening to a webinar during my lunch break, given by Jeff Goins, blogger extraordinaire, who effectively deciphered the art of the written word, as relevant to marketing platforms today. I’m defined to be an Enneagram type 7, so the act of listening actually presents a bit of a challenge to me, and I find it hard to stay focused. However, one little gem that did resonate with me was his descriptive phrase “Cut the Fluff”. To add some context in the PR world, and simply put – we would all benefit from making every word count. Story pitching, press release writing and PR content have a particular writing style and only too often do I meet with clients and are handed read press releases that have been ‘lifted’ from overseas press kits or marketing manuals. It might seem like a great way to save time and money, but if no one reads these vital documents or the message is confused, certainly the end results will invariably, be compromised. These days, it’s more important than ever to cut through with a clear message, given the over-cluttered content explosion we are bombarded with on a daily basis. Yes, pictures speak volumes but words just seem to stick. It is the words that journalists need, the words relay the message and if the words are irrelevant, the editor either becomes confused or loses interest. So, it remains true to say, the humble press release continues to reign high in the communication stakes. Seemingly simple, a good press release can open or slam doors. You just need the right words.